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Best early game Aniimo to catch first
Emberpup comes free in the opening story but has some of the lowest stats in the game. Here is who to use instead: Celestis, Flutternym or Skippy.
The short version
- Emberpup joins you during the opening storyline, but its base-stat total is one of the lowest in the game.
- You meet and catch several Aniimo before the game offers you a formal starter selection, so your first catches are not your only option.
- Celestis is one of the first Aniimo you meet and you can get it early.
- Flutternym is a healer and a strong early pick. Skippy gives you swim traversal, so it earns a place for getting around.
- Anipods lie on the ground all over the world and turn up in treasure chests, so you have no reason to hoard them early on.
Aniimo doesn't make you commit to one creature in the first five minutes. You catch several before the game ever asks you to pick a starter, and the order you meet them in tells you very little about which ones are worth keeping.
This guide covers the Aniimo you run into first, which of them pull their weight early, and why the one you start with is the weakest of the group.
The first Aniimo you meet
Emberpup comes first. You get it at the very start of the game, during the opening storyline, and it is the first Aniimo you catch in the tutorial. Celestis arrives soon after. It is one of the first Aniimo you encounter, and you can get it early in the game.
The important part is what happens next. You meet and capture several Aniimo before the game puts a formal starter selection in front of you. So by the time you are asked to choose, you have already handled a few creatures and have something to compare.
You also don't need to ration your catches. Anipods are easy to come by. They lie on the ground throughout the world and turn up in treasure chests, so if something early looks worth having, throw one.
Why Emberpup is a weak early pick
Emberpup's problem is its numbers. Its base-stat total is one of the lowest in the game, which fits its early Lumin stage. The spread is HP 67, BREAK 40, M.DEF 57, P.DEF 60 and REGEN 68.
Its attack is the one figure that isn't settled. It is given as both 90 and 86. The total of 382 assumes the higher of the two, so if the attack is really 86, the total comes out lower still.
None of that makes Emberpup useless in the tutorial, where it is what you have. It does mean the stats give you no reason to build around it once better options are in your box, and the game hands you those options before it asks you to choose a starter.
Celestis, Flutternym and Skippy: the ones worth using
Celestis is the obvious first upgrade simply because it is there. It is among the first Aniimo you meet and you can secure it early, so it is the easiest way to stop relying on Emberpup.
Flutternym is the strongest case on this list. It is a healer, and it is a strong early-game pick. A healer keeps the rest of your team standing through fights that would otherwise send you back to recover.
Skippy earns its slot a different way. It gives you the swim traversal ability, which makes it useful for crossing water in the early game. Its value is in where it lets you go, so keep it around even if it isn't your main fighter.
One note if you end up weighing Lunara against Helion: they share the same elements and have identical base stats in every category. Nothing in their numbers separates them, so pick whichever you prefer.
Where to start
Use Emberpup for the tutorial, then move on. Pick up Celestis as soon as you can, make Flutternym your healer, and keep Skippy for swimming. Throw Anipods freely, because the world keeps handing you more.
Most of this page was re-checked against the released game on 2 October 2026. The rest has not been re-confirmed since release.
